This Thursday, a tourist staying in the Tucancun hotel in Cancun died after falling from a balcony on the fifth floor. Police are yet to determine if the death was accidental, as no bystanders were around to witness the tragic event. At this moment in time, authorities have identified the victim as a Mexican citizen who had travelled to Cancun to enjoy a late summer vacation.
Hotel employees of the Tucancun rushed to attend to the tourist after seeing the severity of his injuries. Emergency services were immediately called, with paramedics stating that the victim’s vital signs were initially intact. However, after he was taken to the hospital, he was pronounced dead after succumbing to a severe head injury.
The Tucancun hotel is located at 13.5 Boulevard Kukulkan, in the heart of Cancun’s famous Hotel Zone: the hotel was awarded Tripadvisor’s Traveller’s Choice Award in 2020 and has also received numerous health and safety accolades from SEDETUR and a ‘Safe Travels’ seal of approval. Prior to this week, no incidents of violence or accidental deaths have been found at the hotel, with most reviews praising the helpful staff and comfortable rooms.
This week, the Ministerial Police of the Specialized Homicide Investigation Unit in Quintana Roo stated that they would thoroughly investigate the death to examine the likelihood of criminal involvement in the case. Whilst it seems more likely that the fall was accidental, criminal activity in tourist-heavy areas of the Mexican-Caribbean has increased significantly over the summer months.
When tourists have been injured or killed after falling from a balcony in Mexico, police also take into account if the victim was intoxicated with drugs or alcohol. There have been numerous cases of British and North American tourists drinking heavily or taking drugs and then falling to their deaths from hotel balconies. Whilst the death occurred just after 11 am in the morning, intoxication could potentially be the cause of this horrific incident.
Sadly, this is not the first instance of tourist deaths in the Mexican-Caribbean this year. In February, 8 tourists lost their lives after an ADO company bus transporting tourists in Merida collided with an oncoming truck – 15 other individuals we also seriously injured at the scene.
Tourist deaths in the Caribbean also occur frequently through drowning: multiple deaths have been recorded this year as a result of foreign and domestic tourists ignoring red flags on popular beaches, which indicate that the sea is unsafe for swimming. The ocean near Cancun and several other tourist hotspots throughout Quintana Roo are rife with rip currents – a dangerous stream that is capable of pulling people far out into the ocean.
The influx of tourists throughout June and July in Cancun and its surrounding areas made many travellers targets of muggings and violent attacks, including shootings and knife crimes. The level of crime was deemed so severe that the British Government issued an official travel warning for Quintana Roo last month, to ensure tourists were aware of the increased potential of violent crime whilst on vacation.
As authorities begin to launch a full investigation into the death, there is no doubt that the hotel will take preventative measures to ensure this unfortunate incident is not repeated in the future. Hotels that have dealt with similar issues have often placed signs on or near balconies to remind guests of their height, recommending that guests do not sit or lean over balconies or leave children unattended there. As always, tourists visiting the Mexican-Caribbean this summer are advised to be sensible whilst using balconies and terraces and report any injuries to first responders immediately.
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